FutureTense

Need a quick rhyme? Here’s a resource just in time. [BroadUniverse]

Realms of Fantasy slush pile status is available on line.

The list contains coded references to author and title.

The SSA makes a list of popular names available on-line. Handy if you’re trying to come up with a name for your time traveler swept aboard in the late 1800’s.

Teresa Nielsen Hayden’s hilarious yet thought provoking list of stupid plot tricks originally presented at Viable Paradise. Remember, though, as you laugh your way through this list of SF cliches, that the reason these ideas have become overused is the powerful effect they have on our collective imagination.p

More importantly, these touchstones of the genre still have tremendous power to entertain if properly employed. If you get stuck, you could do a lot worse than head on over and find a favoirite cliche to breathe fresh life into.

PatriciaWrede’s guide to world building. Comprehensive if exhausting.

I’ve never been happy with Roget’s Thesaurus. It doesn’t work the way my brain does for writing. I almost never use one of th options they offer me,yet almost all of the thesaurii use Roget’s as a format. I can’t afford to tear out any more hair. What’s a writer to do?

The thesaurus in Microsoft Word is beyond useless to frustrating. I can send my creative self into severe constipation just by pressing Shift-F7. But there are e-format resources that will work for you.

In electronic format, Wordnet can’t be beat. I’ve been using version 1.7.1. which has a very basic user interface. Who cares. It almost always helps me to find the word I really meant to use. Version 2.0 has just been released and I can’t wait to check it out. Best of all, it’s Open Source software and free.

Sometimes print is the only way to go. I often find the word or concept I needed while browsing for the word I thought I wanted. For those times, I like Reader’s Digest “Family Word Finder” and the Random House “Thesaurus, College Edition.” Both of them have been useful for me.

Slick engine that allows you to search by genre, response times, pay rates and many other features. Highly recommended. (Free.)

Keeping track of the SF, fantasy and horror markets for short fiction is beyond the capabilities of your editorial staff.

The Gila Queen’s Guide to Markets, Spicy Green Iguana and the Market Maven at Speculations will keep you up to date about markets that are opening or closing. Both are paid subscriptions and are invaluable for hearing about anthologies or requests for submissions from some of the higher quality magazines that have an infrequent printing schedule or themed issues. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet being an example of a high quality magazine–comes out on a quarterly basis. You’ll hear it first here when they’re open for submissions.

When you want to know the response times or published pay rates for an established market, head over to Ralan’s. The Black Hole also offers response times.

I never recommend anything. With that in mind, I still come very close to recommending–without reservation–THE ARTIST’S WAY, written by Julia Cameron.

THE ARTISTS WAY is an offshoot of art therapy. It uses visual arts to kick start an artist past difficult spots in their development, no matter what the artist’s main art form is: visual, performing, written. Difficulties can range from “writer’s block” on a current work, to exploring one’s art and moving past a rut in one’s work.

Like all therapy modalities, this one will work for some and not work for others. Art therapy is backed by significant research and success. If I recall correctly, the author might not have strong credentials in the field but she has extensive practical experience working with professional artists. This book would be particularly suited for those who want to make medium or long range change in their artistic expression but don’t have the resources for a personal, professional art therapist.

TAW requires a moderate investment of time–a few hours a week–but otherwise is low impact.

When this book–or art therapy in general–is successful, the artist is most likely to achieve a richer understanding of the artist herself, her relationship to her work and her life–where she wants to progress. The results can be profound and rewarding. That’s a lot for $16.

Someone loaned their copy to me. I found it valuable enough that I went out and purchased my own. I would rate the book a 3 1/2 on a scale of 0 (useless) to 5 (totally changed my life), with the understanding that I’ve never found a ‘5′ and that I find most self help books on writing to be a 2. This one is easily above average and I suspect that I would have rated it higher if I had fulfilled more of the exercises. Wrong time in my life.

Keep in mind: the exercises of TAW lead you to challenge your comfort zone indirectly. I experienced a transitory increase in dissatisfaction. I believe it would have helped if I stuck with the method. Certainly I wish my copy wasn’t in storage right now.

If you are stuck in your art because of competition for “copious spare time,” give this book a pass until later. If you are stuck–or want to avoid becoming stuck–because you want more out of your creative process, this would be the book I recommend.

In the same way that I think it is worthwhile for every artist to have a good, easy access, entry-level guide to journaling, I think TAW belongs on the reference shelf of all artists as a “learn by doing” guide to art therapy. I believe TAW will help a writer to the extent that you permit.